The subject-matter of the invention is a personal document in book form, for example, a passport having a personalized page that together with the other pages of the personal document is bound by means of a seam and attached in a book cover.
The personalized page of a personal document normally comprises a plurality of strata. In particular, when integrating an RFID element for complying with ISO 9303 standards for machine-readable travel documents and for inscribing personal data and the passport photo, sandwich-type layer structures that have long service lives, which are temperature stable, and are protected against falsification are required. Such thermoplastic films and film combinations in general do not provide good articulation properties in the area of the seam. When using polycarbonate (PC) films or polyethylene therepththalate (PET) films, the reverse bending strength is generally limited. In particular, integrating an RFID element into the personalized page requires very thick sandwich-like structures. When using transparent laser-capable polycarbonate (PC) films or transparent laser-capable PET/PE-HD films, the graphic and electronic personalization can be performed in a finished passport document. Existing passport solutions have the problem that they open poorly and do not stay closed well because the stiffness of the personalized page causes the passport not to remain closed or open without the exertion of force.
DE 198 14 420 A1 cites an identification document, such as a passport or the like, that comprises a plurality of sheets that are bound on a seam to make a book. At least one of the sheets forms a data sheet that is provided with information and comprises at least two layers, whereby at least one of the layers is transparent. The format of the layers is selected such that they project beyond the area of the seam, and thus in the area of the seam, connect the data sheet to the other sheets of the identification document. In the area of the information the layers are joined to an inseparable laminate, In the area of the seam, however, they do not adhere to one another.
Thus, the number of bending cycles is intended to be increased and the stiffness of the laminate page is intended to be sharply reduced by the more flexible individual films in the area of the seam. Moreover, in the area of the data sheet, the passport pops open less than with passports that include a data sheet that is laminated across its entire surface. Plastic films made of PC, PETG, or HDT-PETG are preferably used for the films.
EP 1 008 459 B1 refers to a method for producing a booklet, such as, for example, an ID. A band is attached in the same manner as the other sheets of the booklet, and the band is attached to a plate in a special manner, whereby the plate is produced at least partially from a plastic material and has a front side and a reverse side, each side including one page. The aforesaid band is selected, for example, from a synthetic material that is suitable for being sewn in and for frequent bending and is preferably made of polypropylene.
EP 0 936 976 B1 discloses a passport with an information page that contains information about, and an image of, the passport holder, whereby the information page comprises a thermosetting plastic material such as, for example, polycarbonate, and is personalized with laser inscriptions, and whereby this page has a plurality of layers that are laminated to one another using heat and pressure. In the bending area, the output page has a separating layer between the outside layers so that these layers are not laminated, and in this manner, a bendable, long-lived bending location is provided on the information page in the passport.
EP 1 245 407 A2 describes a multi-layer personalized page in a passport that has a plastic layer into which data can be inscribed with the laser. This laser-capable layer made of polycarbonate is laminated by means of PE foam to a flexible backing made of HDPE and is sewn in the area of an excess length of the backing.
The goal of the present invention is to provide an improved personal document in book form that has a longer service life and is less susceptible to falsification.